Needle for repairing runs in knitted fabrics



A. G. HAGUE Oct. 22, 1929.

NEEDLE FOR REPAIRING RUNS IN KNITTED FABRICS Filed May 10, 1927 1 i Aw b Patented Oct. '22, 1929 NITED STATES PATENT GFFICE ALFRED G. HAGUE, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, AQSIGNOB. T BJOLLINS lEEOSIEBY MILLS, 0F IDES HOINES, IOWA, A CGBPORATIDN OF IOWA NEEDLE FOR REPAIRING RUNS IN KNITTED F ABRIQS Application filed May 10,1927. Serial. No. 190,250.

My invention relates to that class of needles in which there is employed a hook and a pivoted latch which cooperates with the hook, and which, when in use, at times closes the hook and at other times assumes a position at its limit of movement away from the hook.

My object is to provide means of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, where by during the normal operation of the needle the said latch is at the proper instant positively and forcefully moved from its closed to its open osition, and in which latter position it is yieldably held against accidental displacement in proper position to be engaged by the thread which returns it to closed position.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various 2 parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved.

needle, a portion being broken away to show the manner in which the pivoted latch is mounted therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the lower end of the needle showing the latch in a. partiallyppen position. a

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lower end position. v Fi re 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the hue 4-4 of Figure 3. I

My improved needle comprises a body portion 10 m unted in a suitable handle 11. The lower end of the body portion 10 termi- Rates in a hook 12. The body portion 10 is,

rovided with a slot 13 extending between its ack and front edges. Said slot 13 is a slight distance above the hook 12. The upper edge of the slot 13 terminates in an upwardly and outwardly extending portion 14, and also an upwardly and outwardly extending portion 15, the up r end of which terminates in a notch 16. 7 ivoted within the groove 13 is a latch 17 by meansgof a pivot 18. The inner end of the latch17 is formed circular, said overlapthe free end of the hook 12 when closed, in the manner clearly illustrated in circular portion having an. outwardly projecting lug 19. The latch is tapered toward its outer end in the manner clearly illustrated. The outer end of thelatch is designed to der 22 formed in the ody portion 10, so that when the latch 17 is moved from the position shown by dotted lines to the position shown by solid lines in Figure 2, it will be free of the spring 20, and its inner edge brought into engagement with the free end of the curved portion 21 as the latch is moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 to the closed position shown in Figure 3. After the latch is released after being brought to the said closed osition, its free end will be thrown upward y and will be moved to the position shown in Figure 1, said latch being lffrictionally retained in the last said position of theneedle showing thelatch in a closed by the lug 19 engaging the inner edge of the spring 20 as it moves from the position shown by solid lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1. The latch is carried through this last movement by its momentum.

The needle is operated by causing the hook 12 to enterthe last loop 23 of the run, the needle being forced downwardly through the loop until it has reached the point above the upper end of the latch 17 and the position il ustrated in Figure 1. The needle is then moved upwardly and slid through said loop, the forward edge of the loop engaging the upper end of the latch 17, and causing the same to be forced downwardly. A new thread 24 is caused to enter the hook 12 on the upward movement of the needle. This 109 upward movement is continued until the latch 17 has been moved to a closed position, and the said latch and hook 12, together with the thread 24, are pulled upwardly through said run, thus forming a new loop. As the loop 23 passes over the end of the latch 17 anddisengages the same, the spring forces and the loop, butasthe needle is moved up- "at right angles to the upper edge of the latch.

wardly to the position shown in Figure 2, it will then be seen that the angle of movement between the latch and the loop is substantially It is-desirable that the lug 19 be caused to disengage the spring 20 at this point to permit free movement of the latch from the position shown by solid lines to the position shown by dotted. lines in Figure 2. Otherwise, the threads will be broken by the upward movement of the needle. After the latch has reached the dotted position it will then be seen that the upper edge of the latch is again in-' cl-ined to the line of movement, so that considerable leverage is provided to act against the spring 20, as the latch is moved to its closed position.

It is further essential that the latch have free movement, as above described, due to the fact that that portion of the needle in which the pivot 18 is mounted is usually considerably swelled or broadened, which increases the tension on the loop 23 as the needle is passed through the same.

By providing the spring 20, I have provided means whereby the speed in the operation of the needle is greatly increased. Great diificulty has heretofore been experienced in feeding the needle downwardly between the threads to be taken up, as the pivoted latch usually catches and tangles with the threads. By providing the spring, the latch is automatically thrown to its open position and there held so that the knitting process is easily and quickly accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

1. A knitting needle comprising a handle terminating in a hook, the handle being provided with a central slot near the hook and between the forward and rear edges of said handle, a latch having one end pivotally mounted in said slot and its'other end adapted to cover the free end of said hook when in its closed position, a s ring having one end mounted in the back e ge of said slot and its other end curved inwardly to engage the inner edge of said latch at apoint in front of the pivot of said latch as the latch approaches a nearly closed position, and means for limiting the inward movement of the spring when disengaged from said latch to permit free movement of the latch through a larger portion of its swinging movement, the latch having an outwardly projecting lug designed to engage the spring just before the latch has moved to its maximum open position to yieldably retain the latch in said open position.

2. A knitting needle comprising a handle terminating in a hook, the handle being provided with a central slot near the hook and between its forward and rear edges, said slot terminating in an outwardly and upwardly inclined portion which in turn terminates in a notch, a latch having one end pivotally mounted in said slot and its other end adapted to cover the free end of said hook when in its closed position, a spring having one end mounted in said notch and its other end curved inwardly to engage the inner edge of said latch at a point in front of the pivot of said latch as the latch approaches a nearly closed position, the spring being designed to rest normally adjacent to the inclined portion of said slot to limit its inward movement when disengaged from said latch, to permit free movement of the latch through a larger portion of its swinging movement, the latch having an outwardly projecting lug designed to engage the spring just before the latch has moved to its maximum open position to yieldingly retain the latch in said open position.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 18, 192?.

ALFRED G. HAGUE. 

